OfferBackedBuyer Tools
Step 1 · Thinking about buying

Where are towns like the one I love?

Enter a town you like, or the one you’re leaving, and find the places most like it: similar incomes, home prices, commute, age of homes and more. Look nearby, in other states or only where homes cost less.

Reset

Towns most like Whittier, CA 90602

Whittier: median income $68,505, home value $766,300, $557/sq ft, 32-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Everett, WA 98201 77%992$74,554$499,800$384 cheaper homes ($267K less)
Lynn, MA 01905 75%2,587$84,333$499,200$377 cheaper homes ($267K less) · more homeowners · more apartments and townhomes
Staten Island, NY 10302 75%2,430$78,263$611,900$478 cheaper homes ($154K less) · 8 min longer commute · more homeowners
Inwood, NY 11096 75%2,451$93,421$655,500$554 cheaper homes ($111K less) · smaller · more homeowners
Miami, FL 33161 74%2,321$58,325$441,700$405 cheaper homes ($325K less) · larger
Long Branch, NJ 07740 73%2,440$79,870$578,800$453 cheaper homes ($188K less) · more apartments and townhomes · newer homes
Hempstead, NY 11550 72%2,457$92,677$465,100$460 cheaper homes ($301K less) · larger
Aurora, CO 80010 72%829$63,579$424,600$305 cheaper homes ($342K less) · larger
Brockton, MA 02301 71%2,585$74,214$449,400$321 cheaper homes ($317K less) · larger
Lake Worth, FL 33460 71%2,308$62,090$405,400$357 cheaper homes ($361K less) · 5 min shorter commute · newer homes
Plainfield, NJ 07060 70%2,416$78,602$393,800$348 cheaper homes ($373K less) · larger · more apartments and townhomes
Kearny, NJ 07032 69%2,429$79,154$459,400$364 cheaper homes ($307K less) · larger · older residents
Phoenix, AZ 85007 69%343$63,616$480,600$340 cheaper homes ($286K less) · smaller · 9 min shorter commute
Seattle, WA 98168 69%960$88,083$548,000$369 cheaper homes ($218K less) · 7 min shorter commute · more homeowners
Mattapan, MA 02126 68%2,581$65,709$542,700$400 cheaper homes ($224K less) · 7 min longer commute · more apartments and townhomes
Jamaica, NY 11433 68%2,448$77,519$658,800$479 cheaper homes ($108K less) · 12 min longer commute · more apartments and townhomes
Miami, FL 33162 68%2,319$60,692$403,300$355 cheaper homes ($363K less) · larger · more homeowners
Denver, CO 80214 68%819$75,575$559,100$387 cheaper homes ($207K less) · 6 min shorter commute · more apartments and townhomes
Hyde Park, MA 02136 67%2,580$96,737$578,400$426 higher income ($28K more) · cheaper homes ($188K less) · more homeowners
Revere, MA 02151 67%2,585$86,969$597,400$421 cheaper homes ($169K less) · larger · more apartments and townhomes
Staten Island, NY 10304 67%2,433$71,561$678,700$475 cheaper homes ($88K less) · larger · 10 min longer commute
Seattle, WA 98198 67%954$86,239$589,500$361 cheaper homes ($177K less) · larger · more homeowners
Framingham, MA 01702 66%2,564$82,496$583,000$340 cheaper homes ($183K less) · larger · more apartments and townhomes
Dover, NJ 07801 66%2,408$84,517$392,400$366 cheaper homes ($374K less) · older residents · 6 min shorter commute
Dallas, TX 75220 66%1,221$69,843$500,200$388 cheaper homes ($266K less) · larger · 6 min shorter commute

Similarity compares income, home value, price per sq ft, population, age, commute, education, walkability, owner share, single-family share and age of homes. Click a town to see its housing market. Set your own criteria with the town finder.

Finding towns like the one you love

Maybe you grew up somewhere you loved and want something like it closer to a new job. Maybe the town you want is out of reach and you’re looking for a cheaper version of it. Or you’re moving across the country and want to know which places will feel familiar. This tool starts from a town you know and finds the places most like it.

How we measure similarity

We compare eleven things for every ZIP code: median household income, median home value, price per square foot from recent sales, population, median age, average commute, the share of adults with a bachelor’s degree, walkability, the share of homes that are owner-occupied, the share that are single-family homes, and the median year homes were built. Income and home values count most, because they shape what a place costs and feels like day to day.

Each trait is put on the same scale, so a $50,000 difference in home value and a five-minute difference in commute can be compared fairly. The result is a similarity score: towns in the 90s are close matches on nearly everything, and scores in the 70s are similar with a few clear differences. For each match we list the biggest differences, like cheaper homes, a longer commute or more single-family homes.

Where to look

  • Anywhere shows the closest matches nationwide.
  • Same state or other states keeps the search where you need it.
  • Within a distance finds alternatives near a town you’re priced out of.
  • At least a distance away finds the same kind of place somewhere new.

Tick “only towns where homes cost less” to find more affordable versions of the place you like.

What it can’t tell you

Numbers can’t capture everything that makes a place feel like home: a walkable downtown, the schools, the views or the people. Use the matches as a short list, then visit. Click any town to see its housing market, including how competitive it is and how fast homes are selling.